Canada Calling

Canada Calling, distributed by Florida’s Radio Network, was a program offering news, stocks, weather updates from back home, hockey scores and other sports news to Florida’s approximately 2 million visiting Canadians during the winter season. The daily 5½ minute Monday through Saturday report and 15-minute “week in review” segment on Sunday were broadcast from 1989 to 1993 on WLKF.

The program has been featured regularly on stations across the state without interruption since January 1954 after it launched on two stations following a Florida vacation by the show’s original host, Canadian broadcaster Dave Price.

Over the years there have been as many as three competing Canadian news shows, but Canada Calling has outlasted them all. Prior Smith (pictured) has been host of the show since 1980, mostly broadcasting from his log home in the Canadian wilderness 115 miles northeast of Toronto.